mast placement

envirogirl48 · Joined: 03 Aug 2011 Posts: 8

Hello! I recently started windsurfing, and I absolutely love it. I go out for hours at a time, and I can't enough! I've been developing questions as I improve, and one of them is: how far up/down the board should I place the mast? Someone told me that the further up the board the easier it is to steer. But if I do that should I stand further back on the board? Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

sissybar · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 53

Forward faster in lighter wind, aft turnier and for higher wind. 75 ltr boards and below just run it in the center and forget about it.

Straps forward and farther from rail =turnier

Fin forward is turnier

envirogirl48 · Joined: 03 Aug 2011 Posts: 8

Thank you so much!

tyler4bu · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:58 pm Post subject:

What is your ability level and what kind of board are you riding? You just received some great advice.. for an advanced sailor on a shortboard. I don't get the feeling you're in the footstraps anyway, and at that point just put the mast right smack in the middle and keep your body weight where you're balanced. When you're comfortably planing and in the straps but feel underpowered, that's when you're going to move the mast up, and back when overpowered. Regardless for learning you're best off placing the mast right smack in the middle, and just move your body back as you gain more speed, eventually planing in the straps.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

aft further in higher wind to a point. one can go too far in either direction.

aft too much makes it difficult to control and/or plane.

forward too much can make the board feel too attached, sluggish, and easier to push out the fin.

some designers use the same rocker throughout their selection, changing merely their release aft of the fin. those that have that magic rocker dialed in typically don't move their bases that much from one sail to the next. merely a cm or 2.

older boards matched up with newer sails require mast base all the way aft, quite often. AHD was the last to shift their tracks aft.

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

For beginners and novices, the center of the track is probably best. As skills improve to the novice/intermediate level, then moving the base forward or backward from the center will have some benefit depending on the winds and your speed.

If you are on an old "longboard" 12' or so, then moving the track forward will happen a bit sooner to improve upwind sailing. If not planing or pointing high into the wind, keep it in the center.

If you are on a short but wide newer beginner board, just keep the mast in the center of the track.

No reason to talk about short boards at this time, but movements will be much more subtle when the time comes.

envirogirl48 · Joined: 03 Aug 2011 Posts: 8

Thank you everyone! I definitely have a better idea of what I should be doing. I have a Tabou Coolrider 180. I'm not at the beginner beginner stage, but I haven't had any lessons so there are just a few technical bits that I'm working though. Thank you for all the input! This is a great community.